The First Move
by L122yTorch
Summary: Tony is struggling with more than just work. Lonliness is eating at him and Ziva comes to the rescue, at the risk of revealing a different side of herself.


Tony had been staring at his computer screen for so long that he had forgotten why. It had been a monstrous day that culminated in a near death experience for him that luckily didn't come to fulfillment. Three week's worth of vetting and chasing and inquiries was all wrapped up, and unfortunately had to be written up. With a deep sigh, Tony placed his thumb and finger on the bridge of his nose and hung his head. "You're not going home until that report's filed," Gibbs said grabbing his jacket and disappearing for the night around the corner.

_Like it matters,_ Tony thought to himself. What was waiting at home? No one. Nothing. Silence. That's what was waiting. A tinge of sadness pricked at his chest at this thought. Lately it was getting worse, that feeling of loneliness. Sure, work had it's fulfillment, but it couldn't hold you at night, or tell you it would all be okay. But it was all he had, so he plunged into it. Spending far more time in the bull pen than his colleagues realized.

A heat bored through Tony as he sat at his desk deep in thought, and looked up to find Ziva's gaze. Her deep chocolate eyes absorbed in Tony's pursed lips and furrowed brow. "Yes," Tony said raising his eyebrows. "Is something wrong?" she asked with genuine wonder. "No," he replied returning his eyes to the harsh computer screen. His hands greeted the worn keys, the soft hum of the machine a luring lullaby, Ziva retreated her gaze.

Minutes continued to slip past until a shadow creeping up Tony's desk mentally awoke him. "Let's just leave," Ziva's rich mesmerizing voice reached through the silence. "It's not like you're getting much done anyway." "You heard Gibbs Ziva." "So what. To hell with it. You nearly got killed today, I'm sure he will understand." A moment of silence passed then Ziva's firm hand vice gripped Tony's arm. "We're leaving," she said logging Tony off and flipping the desk lamp off.

"I would like to take you home if that's alright," Ziva casually said while pressing the elevator button. "I already nearly died today and you want me to get into a car with you driving?" Tony replied with a wide smirk. Ziva cleared her throat, "honestly, you, we all, spend too much time alone. And I know you've been working really hard, and I thought maybe we could watch a movie or something." "You're worried about me, aren't you?" Tony said with a disbelieving jag in vocal pitch. "Perhaps. Perhaps not," Ziva replied pulling out her keys, "but what's a movie to you? Unless you'd rather go to bed, cough, cough, grandpa." "A movie sounds great," Tony whipped around and said standing a few inches from Ziva. "Good."

The descending light of the refrigerator illuminated a six pack of Molson Beer, Kraft cheese sticks, a bottle of catsup and hot dogs. "I guess we'll be ordering pizza to go along with our beer," Ziva said pulling out two bottles. Tony was yanking out the knot of his tie and the fraught expression he had worn all day still hung upon his face. "I think we should talk," Ziva said putting the two bottles in front of them. "You…you want to talk?" Tony answered with a chuckle. "You are lonely I can see this," Ziva said reluctantly, the words struggling out of her throat. "And you're not," a sly look escaped from the corner of his eyes. "I am." Ziva's truthful response knocked the wind out of Tony. He stopped with fingers still unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. The expression on his face, now one of shock. In response to the look on his face, Ziva took out two more Molson's. 

Some western flick was what Ziva expected to fill the flat screen, but it was an action movie. The pizza was hot, the drinks were cold, the couch was soft, and Tony's cologne kept creeping over to Ziva. Turned out the movie wasn't half bad, thus far.

Ziva looked over at Tony, his features set as if he were looking through the TV rather than at it. So much so that he didn't even notice as Ziva scooted right next to him. A sigh escaped her lips as she was met with the uncertainty of what to do next. She didn't know what to ask, or what to say. She knew what she couldn't say. She couldn't tell him that she felt the exact same way. Overworked with a huge gap in her social life. How she had been trained to deal with everything except the silence that overtook her apartment the second she got home. So she didn't say anything, she just rested her forehead on his shoulder.

"You feel the same way don't you," Tony asked. "Maybe," she answered. "But I have great people in my life," she said, her dark orb eyes shifting to his. "Like me," Tony said with that arrogant grin. "Exactly like you," she replied in almost a whisper, her eyes trailing down his jaw line, unable to meet his ocean eyes. "I need you more than I'd ever admit Tony." "I think you just did, " he answered. Swallowing hard, Tony tried to contain his racing heart and ignore the skin that felt like fire where she sat against him. But why, _why fight it_, he thought, leaning closer to her face. His forehead touching hers, he slowly brought his lips to hers.


End file.
